Apparatus for producing motion-picture effects



APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING MOTION PICTURE EFFECTS Filed Nov. 12, 192.7

7. if FuQAjnN@ QL u Patented May 28, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT orrlciz. i

LAUIB'REY B. LEECI'H, 0F LOS ANGELES, ALIFOBNIA.

APPARATUS FOR- RBODUGING 'MOTIQN-IC'IURE EFFECTS.

Application med Novemberd 12, 192?. serialNo. 232,830.V

J .This invention relates to illuminated signs wherein the illusion ofmotion is produced.

The main objects of this invention are to provide an improved form ofadvertising sign wherein `the illusion of oatmg clouds travelingat'variable speeds is produced, andV to provide a sign of this characterm which" various objects can be arranged so as to produce the illusionof the objects lioating on 1o moving clouds.

An illustrative embodiments of this invention is shown in theaccompanymg drawing, in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of the im`l5 proved device.

' Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectlon taken on the line 2 2 of liig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 ofA 'Ihis invention is of thesame general character as that shown in my United States Patent No;1,369,751 dated February 22, 1921, wherein a rectangular box-llkestructure l is provided with a plurality of sources of light 2 arrangedside by slde 1n 1ndepend ent units in spaced relation to each other.

Each of the sources of light is surrounded by a cylindrical screen 3open at the bottom and having the top end provided wlth a pluralityofradially disposed inclmed vanes'll. j The vanes 4 are attached at theirouter ends to the screen 3 andat theirv inner ends to a supporting hub 5which is pivotally mounted on a framework 6 in the manner described andshown in the aforementioned patent.

The surfaces of allthe cylindrical 'screens 3 are painted withpolychrome colormgs so that the various portions of thej screens havedifferent degrees 'of permeability to light` l40 rays.v

A Vtranslucent screen 7 is disposed in front of the cylindrical screenspreferably parallel to the axes ofthe cylindrical screens,

so that when the cylindrical screens are rotated the light therein willproject variegated -colorings ont the translucent screen to produce theillusion of colored moving clouds.

A transparent screen Sis provided in front of the screen 7 in spacedrelation thereto and is adapted to have any suitable'object 12 pic'tured thereon. n

In the present construction, the sign l 1s shown h ing three sources oflight and three cylindri screens 3, 3A and 31?, the arrangement bei gsuch that a space 1s left on each A side of the center cylindricalscreen. Projjection boxes 10 and 11 are located in the Yvanes 4 andthereby rotating spaces between the screens and eachfbox is providedwitha suitable source of light13. rIhe face thereof is provided withtransparent or cut-out lettering 14, so that the light in the b oxprojects such lettering onto the` appear to move slowest at ,the pointwhere' the cylindrical screen is nearest to the screen 7, and thefarther from ,this point the faster the projected rays travel along thesurface, thereby-producingthe effect of clouds moving at variablespeeds, first slowly and then adually faster until they blend into` theast moving projected rays of the next succeeding screen. They thenappear to slow up until they reach the center oint and then increase inspeed again until they blend into those of the next following screen.

device, the heat The object 12pictured on the transparent screen 8,being`'^in spaced relation to the screen'7, has the appearance offloating on the colored clouds invery life-like manner.

Although but one specic embodiment of this invention has beenhereinshown and described, it will be understood that numerous detailsof the construction shown may be altered or omitted without departinfrom the spirit of this yinvention as-defined y the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, a plurality of sources of lightarranged side by side, a cylindrical screen surrounding each of saidsources of light, means for rotatin saidscreens, variable coloring oneach of sal screens, different portions of said screens hav-v -ingdifferent degrees of permeability of light rays, a translucent screendisposed in front of said cylindrical screens whereby the illusion ofclouds movingy at variablespeeds is proparent screen disposed in frontof said translucent screen in spaced relation thereto, said transparentscreen havmg an object pictured duced on said translucent screen, and atransthereon ivhereby the illusion of said object said sources of light,meansfor rotating said screens, polychrome coloring on each of saidscreens, dierent portions of said screens having dierent degrees ofpermeability to light rays, a translucentscreen disposed parallel to theaxes of said cylindrical screens whereby the illusion of clouds movingat variable speedsis produced on said translucent l screen, and atransparent screen disposed in front of said translucent screen inspaced relation thereto, said transparent screen having an objectpictured thereon whereby the illuisr produced.

. 3. A device of. the class described comprising a' pair of spacedtranslucencies one of said translucencies bearing the representation ofa stationary scene, means for projecting a stationary image on the othertranslucency for providing a stationary background,

sion of said object floating on moving clouds and means for producingmoving images on f the last mentioned translucency for providing amoving background.

Signed at Los, Angeles this 12th day of October, 1927.

AUBREY B. LEECH.

